5 Gal FW Planted Shrimp Tank

[Dano01]

Am curious...............What is the wattage and K value of your tank lighting?

 

[fort384]

27w 6700k

 

[fort384]

Did a little rearranging and picked up some Rotala Macranda. Water is still cloudy from the rescape, but here it is.

 

[FishCrazyBenBOMB]

Looking good man, keep it up.

 

[starrystarstarr]

i agree the tank is looking good and i love the contrast of the light and dark gravel.

 

[fort384]

Yay! The cycle is progressing. Tested tonight, ammonia has dropped quite a bit, and starting to get some nitrIte readings. Not sure on the nitrAte yet, since I am dosing it for the plants, I can't really tell if I am getting any nitrosomas developed yet. But -- excited to see some nitrIte anyway. Could be looking for some RCS next week...

Any suggestions on a small, colorful pair of fish to add to the tank? I am talking tiny... just to get some movement in toward the top of the tank since the shrimp will be sticking to the bottom.

 

[bs6749]

The shrimp will be all over the tank and not just on the bottom. They will frequently go to the surface, especially if you add some floating plants.

If your tank was bigger I'd recommend some Endlers but it's a little small IMO since they like swimming room that longer tanks provide.

 

[fort384]

I suppose I could go with no fish in the tank... that is an option.

 

[elwaine]

Yay! The cycle is progressing. Tested tonight, ammonia has dropped quite a bit, and starting to get some nitrIte readings. Not sure on the nitrAte yet, since I am dosing it for the plants, I can't really tell if I am any nitrosomas developed yet.

Fort, the plants will use the ammonia and nitrites so you don't have to dose nitrates. The preferred food for plants (other than CO2) is ammonium (which the plants can make from ammonia). Plants convert Nitrates back to Nitrites and then back to the Ammonium which is the source of nitrogen that they use for growth.

Any suggestions on a small, colorful pair of fish to add to the tank? I am talking tiny... just to get some movement in toward the top of the tank since the shrimp will be sticking to the bottom.

In my experience, shrimp stay mainly on the bottom or on plant leaves and stems. They do occasionally swim around - but not much. So I agree that it would be nice to have some fish. Endler's livebearers do not eat shrimp (not even the tiny fry) and are a little smaller than guppies, but they will breed like... well, guppies. They will do nicely in a 5 gal. tank.

You could easily keep 6 neon tetras in a 5 gal. They'd prefer to swim in a larger tank but will do just fine in a 5 gal. and they will not eat the shrimp either... nor will they over-populate the tank by breeding, as do the Endler's.

Gertrude's Rainbow fish are another shrimp safe fish and I am looking to acquire some of those egg layers, but have had no luck in finding a source. If you do, please let me know.

 

[bs6749]

Fort, the plants will use the ammonia and nitrites so you don't have to dose nitrates. The preferred food for plants (other than CO2) is ammonium (which the plants can make from ammonia). Plants convert Nitrates back to Nitrites and then back to the Ammonium which is the source of nitrogen that they use for growth.



In my experience, shrimp stay mainly on the bottom or on plant leaves and stems. They do occasionally swim around - but not much. So I agree that it would be nice to have some fish. Endler's livebearers do not eat shrimp (not even the tiny fry) and are a little smaller than guppies, but they will breed like... well, guppies. They will do nicely in a 5 gal. tank.

You could easily keep 6 neon tetras in a 5 gal. They'd prefer to swim in a larger tank but will do just fine in a 5 gal. and they will not eat the shrimp either... nor will they over-populate the tank by breeding, as do the Endler's.

Gertrude's Rainbow fish are another shrimp safe fish and I am looking to acquire some of those egg layers, but have had no luck in finding a source. If you do, please let me know.

There aren't enough nutrients in that tank and there won't be enough nutrients present from the shrimp waste to allow all of those plants sufficient growth so dosing will be necessary to some degree.

I strongly disagree that Endlers won't eat shrimp and I know there are countless others that would agree with me on this. I keep Endlers and shrimp, but not together after hearing of people that did just that. They noticed that the Endlers (mainly the larger females) would be picking off baby shrimp all the time. Babies are 2mm long or less and any fish that CAN fit a shrimp into their mouths WILL try if given the opportunity. Larger shrimp would be "safe" from adult Endlers because of their size but babies aren't safe at all. Again, I don't recommend Endlers for a 5g since they like long tanks for the swimming room. Neons and other tetras may be okay but don't think that they won't eat the tiny shrimp because they will.

 

[elwaine]

There aren't enough nutrients in that tank

I beg to differ. IF ammonia is still present - which Fort reports that it is - and nitrites are elevated - which Fort reports that they are - than there are enough nutrients. They are preferred sources of nitrogen over nitrates, and the plants are not removing ammonia and using nitrites as fast as they are produced. Once the ammonia and nitrites drop to near zero, then he will need to dose nitrates. The other two sources of nitrogen are used by the plants before they use nitrates. See: Aqua Botanic - Plants and biological filtration

You raise an interesting point about the Endler's. Just because I've never seen my Endler's eat the little shrimp does not mean that they do not. I might remove them though, especially since you say that others have also seen the female Endler's snack on the hatchlings.

 

[fort384]

Thanks for the info Larry, will stop dosing N for the time being and let the plants just utilize the ammonia for their N requirement. Good to know!

BS, so are saying you would suggest no fish for the tank? Since it is such a small tank, I am not sure I will have much success in breeding shrimp, what do you think?

 

[jrp1588]

Nice little tank you got there. Any chance you could ship me some clippings of that Rotala Macranda when it gets big enough? I love the red on it

 

[fort384]

It may be awhile yet. I only bought 1 stem, and intend to try and grow some in the 29G as well. But, when It grows out (hopefully like the rest of the rotala species I have), I will certainly get you some.

 

[Purrbox]

A 5 gallon should be plenty large enough to breed your shrimp. It could easily hold 50-100 shrimp of varying ages.

 

[fort384]

Purr, good to know. Most of the shrimp sites/forums out there say you need a 10+G tank to breed.

 

[jrp1588]

Awesome, all I ask is 1 stem, my t5 HO's should be able to take it from there. haha

 

[Purrbox]

While a 10 gallon is more ideal, a 5 gallon is still large enough. I've heard of some that even breed shrimp in as small as 2.5 gallon aquariums. The key is good water quality, keeping them healthy and well fed.

 

[FishCrazyBenBOMB]

I've been told people have bred and kept 300 RCS in a 10G. So i'm sure you could get atleast have that, only if your looking to sell though.

If not, you can always give your shrimp to your other fish and let them have a colorful tasty treat

 

[bs6749]

I beg to differ. IF ammonia is still present - which Fort reports that it is - and nitrites are elevated - which Fort reports that they are - than there are enough nutrients. They are preferred sources of nitrogen over nitrates, and the plants are not removing ammonia and using nitrites as fast as they are produced. Once the ammonia and nitrites drop to near zero, then he will need to dose nitrates. The other two sources of nitrogen are used by the plants before they use nitrates. See: Aqua Botanic - Plants and biological filtration

You raise an interesting point about the Endler's. Just because I've never seen my Endler's eat the little shrimp does not mean that they do not. I might remove them though, especially since you say that others have also seen the female Endler's snack on the hatchlings.

Just because ammonia is present that doesn't mean that there are enough nutrients in the tank. There could be a lack of lighting (doubtful since it seems adequate IMO) or a lack of CO2 or other photosynthesis related nutrient. This means that the plants won't be using much ammonia until the balance of ALL nutrients is met so it might appear to be in surplus. The possibility of a lack of nutrients accounts for this "surplus".